Article-vending mechanism

ABSTRACT

AN ARTICLE-VENDING MECHANISM INCLUDES A STORAGE COMPARTMENT THAT DISCHARGES BY GRAVITY THROUGH A TRICKLE APPARATUS, THENCE ACROSS A STORAGE RAMP IN ASSOCIATION WITH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE HEIGHT OF GOODS THEREON, AND THEN TO A MOVABLE DISCHARGE MEMBER WHICH IS MOVABLE BETWEEN TWO POSITIONS. IN ITS FIRST POSITION, THE MOVABLE DISCHARGE MEMBER PROVIDES A SANITARY CLOSURE AND IN ITS SECOND POSITION VENDS ONE ARTICLE TO A DISCHARGE CHUTE. AN ACTUATOR DRIVES THE MOVABLE DISCHARGE MEMBER WHICH HAS AN ABUTMENT FOR IMPACTING THE STORAGE RAMP.

United States Patent (72] Inventor Paul Keller 2,193,211 3/1940 Taylor 221/266 Coou Rapids.Minn. 2.376960 5/1945 Clem r. 22l/266X 1969 Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Patented J Attorney-HI, Sherman, Meronr,Gross& Simpson {73] Assignee The Cornelius Company Anoka,Minn.

[54] ARTICLE-VENDING MECHANISM 23 Claims, 1 Drawing Flg.

ABSTRACT: An article-vending mechanism lncludes a U.S. torage com artment that discharges gravity through a 312/45, 3l2/73 trickle apparatus, thence across a storage ramp in association Int. t means for controlling the of ggods thereon and ofSear-ch [hen to a movable discharge member which is mcvable 312/4173 between two positions. In its first position, the movable discharge member provides a sanitary closure and in its [56] Reierences Cited second position vends one article to a discharge chute. An ac- UNITED STATES PATENTS tuator drives the movable discharge member which has an 995,157 6/1911 Korman 221/266 abutment for impacting the storage ramp.

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ARTICLE-VENDING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to an article-vending mechanism, and more specifically to a hopper receptive of articles in more or less random arrangement in association with a powered discharge member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An article-vending mechanism is provided which has a storage ramp which preferably is movable onto which articles such as drinking straws flow under the influence of gravity, an actuator-driven discharge member receiving. and vending the next article to be vended from such ramp. Means is provided which limits the total quantity of articles that can flow onto the ramp, the lower'end of which is upturned and which is apertured for finger means to reach therethrough to act on articles disposed thereabove.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple reliable article-vending mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article-vending mechanism which can be electrically actuated for use as a drinking straw vender.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article-vending mechanism of the type described which is reliable when the articles constitute drinking straws.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an article-vending mechanism which operates reliably in the presence of a variable height or supply of articles to be vended.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheet of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

ON THE DRAWING The drawing illustrates an article-vending mechanism for drinking straws, provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWING The principles of the present invention are particularly useful when embodied in a preferred form of article-vending mechanism, namely a straw vender. generally indicated by the numeral on the drawing. The vending mechanism 10 includes a hopper 11 which has an internal storage compartment 12 at the bottom end of which there is a bottom deflection surface 13 which overlies a storage ramp or baffle 14, the lower end of which leads to a movable discharge member 15 that communicates with a discharge chute 16 in response to operation of an actuator 17.

The article-vending mechanism 10 has been constructed to be particularly advantageous in connection with the vending of drinking straws which in this example may have a diameter on the order of one-quarter inch and a length of about 6 inches. The hopper 11 has a cover 18 which can be freely removed to fill the compartment 12 with a considerable number of straws 19, the general amount of which can be determined by visual inspection through a transparent side panel forming a part of the hopper 11. In the drawing, the effective height of the hopper 11 has been reduced for convenience of illustration, and thus in practice, the exact height of the straws 19 within the hopper 11 may vary considerably. Such variation can, unless suitably allowed for, cause considerable variation in the reliability of vending. In this embodiment, the bottom deflection surface 13 supports a substantial percentage of the mass of the straws 19 and has a slope that extends downwardly from the horizontal by an angle of at least 8. The lower end of the bottom deflection surface 13 at 21, in combination with the upper end of the storage ramp 14 constitutes a trickle apparatus. In this embodiment, the gap into which straws 19 can flow by gravity is selected to be greater than one straw diameter and less than the sum of three straw diameters, the illustrated embodiment being shown as having a gap between 2 and 2% straw diameters. It is the vertical height of the opening between the edge 21 that in effect determines the effective size of the discharge opening from the storage compartment 12.

The storage ramp or baffle 14 has an upper surface that lies beneath the discharge opening and its upper surface slopes downwardly beneath the bottom deflection surface 13. The storage ramp 14 has a slope, for example one that extends downwardly from the horizontal by an angle of about 15. The articles 19 move by gravity over the upper surface of the storage ramp 14 toward its'lower end 22 which slopes upwardly and over which upwardly extending slope the articles 19 move upwardly before reaching the movable discharge member 15.

Means in the form of a weir 23 are secured to the hopper for limiting the total quantity of articles 19 that can flow onto the storage ramp 14. To this end, the weir 23 is disposed in spaced relation above the ramp 14 and the articles 19 pass under the weir 23 in their movement on the ramp 14. In this embodiment, the weir 23 is constructed in the form of a flange secured to the lower side of the hopper 11 so that it depends downwardly from the bottom deflection surface 13. The lower edge of the flange-type of weir 23 is made extremely narrow so as to minimize the area of possible frictional contact with the straws 19. The lower end of the weir 23 determines the height that will develop of articles 19 lying above the lower end 22 of the storage ramp 14. As illustrated, and with the proportions used in the illustration, it would be expected that the articles would lie only two or three deep at the lower end 22 but there is space thereabove for a few more such straws. At any event, the total mass of such straws is relatively low and substantially constant so that the effect of a variable supply height that may take place in the storage compartment 12 is eliminated.

The storage ramp or baffle 14 is securely supported at its upper end 24 while no support is provided along the sides so that the lower end 22 is movable as by deflection of the storage ramp 14. The storage ramp 14 may take the position illustrated due to the internal resilience or reaction of its material against further bending, but if it should bend further, its lower surface would engage the movable discharge member 15 as at 25. Assuming that there is such engagement, the surface 25 does not lie a constantdistance from the pivotal axis 26 of the movable discharge member 15 and so movement of the lower end 22 of the storage ramp 14 would result. In order to insure that there will be such movement, there is provided an abutment 27 which will engage the lower surface of the storage ramp 14 with a slight impact and therefore jiggle all of the articles lying thereon, and also move such storage ramp 14 positively in an upward direction.

In this embodiment, the lower end 22 of the storage ramp 14 is provided with a pair of horizontally spaced apertures, one of which is shown at 28. These are elongated in the plane of the drawing, and the movable discharge member 15 has a pair of fingers 29 which freely pass into the apertures 28 so as to begin to jiggle the articles 19 at the lower end 22, even before the ramp 14 might be moved. The width of the projection 27 is such as to be greater than the width of the elongated apertures 28 so as not to pass therethrough.

The movable discharge member 15 has a pocket 30 which communicates with the lower end 22 of the ramp 14. To that end, there is a passageway 31 formed beneath the lower end 22 of the ramp l4 and an adjacent portion of a mounting base 32, such passageway 31 having an effective size which is greater than 1 straw diameter but less than 2 diameters. The pocket 30 has an upper edge 33 which is disposed above the bottom of the pocket 30 by a distance which is greater than 1 straw diameter but which is less than 1% straw diameters so that when the movable discharge member 15 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as drawn, the leading edge 33 will cam the next succeeding straw 19 in an upward direction, so that it entirely clears the pocket 30. The movable discharge member thus has a first position wherein the pocket means 30 communicates with the lower end of the ramp. When the movable discharge member 15 is rocked to its counterclockwise limit, the discharge member 15 is in a second position wherein it serves to block communication with the lower end of the ramp and to communicate the pocket 30 with the upper end of the discharge chute 16.

In the position illustrated, the movable discharge member 15 has a pair of flanges 34,35 which extend transversely across the chute 16 and which respectively abut adjacent portions of the hopper base 32 so as to seal the lower end of the hopper 12 when the discharge member 15 is in such first or illustrated position. No seal is needed during the transient condition that exists when the discharge member 15 is pivoted or reciprocated out of such illustrated first position. Thus also the upper end of the chute 16 is sealed at the discharge member so that any vapors that might exist or other contaminants or dust that conceivably could otherwise move up through the chute 16 are kept away from the interior, thereby leaving the contents stored in a sanitary manner.

The pivotal axis 26 of the movable discharge member 15 comprises a shaft which may be corotatable with the discharge member 15, which may be fixed, or which may be a floatingtype of bearing shaft.

To effect the reciprocation of the discharge member 15, there is provided a radially extending arm 36, the upper end of which is fixedly secured to the discharge member 15 for rocking it. The lower end of the radially extending arm 36 has an eyelet through which a pin 37 extends which is carried by a spring-loaded plunger 38 of the actuator 17 which is secured by screws 39 to the hopper base 32.

In operation, the vending mechanism may be supported by a horizontal flange 40 which will slip over a support bar (not shown) so that the discharge chute 16 will cooperate with associated structure at the proper position. The actuator 17 in this instance is electrically powered and drives the discharge member 15 to select only the straw 19 which is in the pocket 30, thereby also simultaneously opening up the upper end of the chute 16 to permit such selected straw 19 to be discharged while holding back other straws, while jiggling or elevating further straws to enter the passage 31, and while further jiggling or impacting the storage ramp 14 near the end of the vending movement of the actuator 17, just as it reaches its aforementioned second position. Straws or other articles that are being handled trickle over the bottom deflection surface 13 through a discharge opening at the bottom of the hopper 11, and the quantity that accumulates just above the pocket 30 is regulated by the weir 23. Drinking straws do not always come to rest in as neat arrangement as shows on the drawing, and even when some of the straws end up being slightly skewed or twisted in their disposition, the present mechanism accommodates such circumstance, and serves in the manner described to straighten the straws to the point where each one will be reliably vended, one straw being vended for each and every operation of the actuator 17.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that 1 wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

lclaim:

1. An article vending mechanism, comprising: article-vending mechanism, comprising:

a. a hopper having a storage compartment with an enlarged discharge opening at its lower end of a size enabling gravity flow of a plurality of the articles simultaneously therethrough;

b. a storage ramp disposed beneath and sloping downwardly from said opening;

c. a movable discharge member having means defining a pocket receptive of the next article to be vended and communicating in a first position with the lower end of said ramp;

d. a discharge chute terminating at its upper end adjacent to said discharge member; and

e. an actuator connected to said discharge member for moving it to a second position blocking said communication with said ramp and communicating said pocket with said discharge chute.

2. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, including means secured to said hopper for limiting the total quantity of articles which may flow onto said ramp through said enlarged opening.

3. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 2, in which said flow-limiting means comprise a weird spaced above said ramp and under which weir the articles pass on said ramp.

4. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said hopper has a bottom deflection surface sloping to said discharge opening, said ramp extending beneath said bottom-deflecting surface, and said weir comprising a flange depending downwardly from said bottom deflection surface.

5. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, in which the lower end of said storage ramp is movable upwardly in response to movement of said discharge member to said second position.

. 6. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, in which the lower end of said storage ramp is movably supported by said discharge member.

7. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, in which said discharge member has an abutment for delivering an impact to the lower end of said storage ramp substantially when said discharge member reaches said second position.

8. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, in which the lower end of said storage ramp is movable vertically, said discharge member having a portion engageable with the lower end of said storage ramp for moving it vertically.

9. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 8, in which said portion of said discharge member is so disposed as to move the lower end of said storage ramp, substantially when said discharge member reaches said second position.

10. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, in which said movable discharge member and said ramp are disposed within said hopper, said movable discharge member having means substantially sealing the lower end of said hopper in said first position.

11. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, including means on said movable discharge member for directly engaging and moving upwardly a plurality of the articles following said next article to be vended.

12. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 1, including means defining a passageway extending from the end of said ramp most remote from said discharge opening to said pocket, said passageway being receptive of a plurality of the articles of round cross section, and having a vertical size less than twice the diameter of the articles.

13. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 10, in which said sealing means comprises a pair of flanges secured to said discharge member and normally abutting said hopper.

14. An article-vending mechanism, comprising:

a. a hopper having a storage compartment with a discharge opening at its lower end to enable gravity flow of a plurality of the articles therethrough;

b. a storage ramp disposed beneath and sloping downwardly from said openings, said ramp having a lower end which terminates in an upwardly sloping surface along which the articles pass moving in an upward direction;

0. a movable discharge member having means defining a pocket receptive of the next article to be vended and communicating in a first position with said lower end of said ramp for receiving articles that have moved over said upwardly sloping surface;

d. a discharge chute terminating at its upper end adjacent to said discharge member; and

e. an actuator connected to said discharge member for moving it to a second position blocking said communication with said ramp and communicating said pocket with said discharge chu te.

15. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 14, said ramp having aperture-defining means at said lower end, and said movable discharge member having finger means movable through said aperture-defining means to urge articles along said upwardly sloping surface.

16. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 14, including means defining a passageway extending from the upper end of said upwardly sloping surface in a downward direction to said pocket.

17. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 16, in which said passageway has a downward slope substantially parallel to said upwardly sloping surface for partially supporting the articles therein.

18. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 16, which includes means in said passageway engaged by the articles to retard their downward movement.

19. An article-vending mechanism, comprising:

a. a hopper having a storage compartment with a discharge opening at its lower end to enable gravity flow of a plurality of the articles therethrough;

b. a storage ramp disposed beneath and sloping downwardly from said opening;

c. a movable discharge member having means defining a pocket receptive of the next article to be vended and communicating in a first position with the lower end of said ramp;

d. a discharge chute terminating at its upper end adjacent to said discharge member; and

e. an actuator of the electric solenoid type connected to said movable discharge member for moving it to a second position blocking said communication with said ramp and communicating said pocket with said discharge chute,

said actuator normally serving to hold said movable discharge member in said first position.

20. An article vending mechanism according to claim 15;

including means pivotally supporting said movable member, and a radially extending arm fixedly secured to said electric solenoid.

21. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 11, the lower end of said storage ramp being movable vertically in response to movement ofsaid discharge member.

22. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the marginal portion of said end of said ramp at its opposite side comprises part of said passageway means.

23. An article-vending mechanism according to claim 14, wherein said hopper has a bottom deflection surface sloping to said discharge opening, said upwardly sloping surface lying beneath the upper end of said bottom deflection surface.

UNETED STATES EATENT OFFICE CERTIFPCATE OF CORRECTION Dated lune 22;, 1971 Patent No.

Paul Keller Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

(301. 2, line 70 after "2" insert -=-straw--;

C01. 3, lines 66 and 67, delete "article vending mechanism, comprising:

(second occurrence);

Col. 4, line 14, correct the spelling of "weir";

Col. 6, line 1.4, after "said" insert movable member and reciprocably driven by said,

Signed and sealed this 1 8th day of July 1972.

QSEAL; Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer 

